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Re: AP Version 2 error: Run-time error 91
Ray Gralak
The question is does one need to connect to the AP driver in APCC? I have seen comments that it does ifYou do NOT need to connect APCC to the driver. Ever. Its only purpose is to keep the ASCOM driver running even when all ASCOM client applications disconnect. And just to be clear, this "error 91" issue is not an APCC issue. The problem is that the driver could not allocate a resource. This might be caused by a windows update, installation of some other software, anti-virus software blocking something, a problem with the computer (e.g., a hard-disk or memory error), etc. And BTW, the latest driver hasn't changed for many months. -Ray -----Original Message-----
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Re: How Much RAPAS Misalignment is Too Much ?
Roland Christen
Is the RA Correction procedure reliable enough that I should trust these results ? It is not a reliable process for precision polar alignment. It was meant for quick setups when no other means are available.If you have any non-orthogonality in your telescope optics, then any method using your telescope will not be accurate.
When you say field rotation, over how many hours are you experiencing this? Also, how do you determine that it is field rotation? If you are seeing field rotation over a long time period, say 6 hours from beginning to end in a wide field image, that is natural because the skies do not follow an exact sidereal path due to atmospheric refraction.
Roland
-----Original Message-----
From: M Hambrick <mhambrick563@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Fri, Sep 24, 2021 11:10 am Subject: [ap-gto] How Much RAPAS Misalignment is Too Much ? I have been getting a lot of what I suspect is field rotation in my guided images so I thought I would check my polar alignment using the RA Correction method as described in the manuals. I have a portable setup with an 1100 GTO mount that I set up and take down every night, and I set my polar alignment using the RAPAS.
At the end of the RA Correction process I checked the position of Polaris in the RAPAS and compared it to what the Polar Align App said it should be. The results are in the sketches below. I am assuming that if I am going to adjust the RAPAS, I will need to adjust the push pull screws in the plate at the base of the RA axis where the RAPAS attaches, but before I do this I wanted to make sure that this is not an irreversible process. I am worried that if I suddenly start adjusting the push-pull screws that I will do more harm than good. Is the RA Correction procedure reliable enough that I should trust these results ? I think that at a minimum I will repeat the alignment procedure before I start adjusting anything. The offset as seen seems in the sketches seems excessive, and I am also wondering what could cause the RAPAS alignment to get so far off, assuming that it was correct when I first got the mount. To my knowledge I have never dropped or damaged the RAPAS or the mount. Any comments or advice would be appreciated. Mike 
-- Roland Christen Astro-Physics
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Re: AP Version 2 error: Run-time error 91
Tom Blahovici
Hi
The question is does one need to connect to the AP driver in APCC? I have seen comments that it does if you want to use your model. So. So do you Ray? I have 4 virtual ports that appear and a my software connects up fine there. What does using an additional one in apccs section for the Ap driver do? As to releases not tested enough, one can only test so much and then you adjust going forward. I am a software developer myself and until there are enough people using something, you never know for sure. Beta testers are completely unreliable in general with 90% not doing anything. That's my experience. So when a bug shows up, being responsive and agile is more important. That's exactly what happens with AP products. Not to mention that astronomy products are dependent on weather. Having to wait until all the testers have clear sky's might make the product cycle way too long .. Kelp up the great work Ray!
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Re: How Much RAPAS Misalignment is Too Much ?
George
Mike,
Yes, use the push-pull screws to adjust the rear plate. You can always restore the plate to flush and do it again.
Regards,
George
George Whitney Astro-Physics, Inc. Phone: 815-222-6538 (direct line) Phone: 815-282-1513 (office) Email: george@...
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io>
On Behalf Of M Hambrick
Sent: Friday, September 24, 2021 11:11 AM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Subject: [ap-gto] How Much RAPAS Misalignment is Too Much ?
I have been getting a lot of what I suspect is field rotation in my guided images so I thought I would check my polar alignment using the RA Correction method as described in the manuals. I have a portable setup with an 1100 GTO mount that
I set up and take down every night, and I set my polar alignment using the RAPAS.
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Re: AP Version 2 error: Run-time error 91
I saw the same thing a couple of times.
Connecting manually to the V2 driver seems to have fixed this. Since I'm running my observatory remotely, these numerous and frequent software updates, with new issues, are concerning. I think more testing needs to be done before general release. -- George Prineville, Oregon
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Re: Saturn last night
Luca Marinelli
That is a really beautiful image! Crisp and clean. Obviously you have great equipment and favorable seeing but I echo the request if you wouldn’t mind sharing your acquisition and processing workflows.
Thanks,
Luca
On Sep 24, 2021, at 11:32 AM, Jeff B via groups.io <mnebula946@...> wrote:
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Re: How Much RAPAS Misalignment is Too Much ?
ap@CaptivePhotons.com
FWIW I checked mine once after doing a fairly careful align photographically and mine was off about the same amount, maybe a tad less (different directions).
Of course, no alignment is perfect so it’s hard to know that the RAPAS was the one off, but just as a data point.
I put mine back in the case and just do imaging alignment. It’s on my list to one day try to align properly.
What is “normal” for an out of the box setup?
Linwood
From: main@ap-gto.groups.io <main@ap-gto.groups.io>
On Behalf Of M Hambrick via groups.io
Sent: Friday, September 24, 2021 12:11 PM To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Subject: [ap-gto] How Much RAPAS Misalignment is Too Much ?
I have been getting a lot of what I suspect is field rotation in my guided images so I thought I would check my polar alignment using the RA Correction method as described in the manuals. I have a portable setup with an 1100 GTO mount that
I set up and take down every night, and I set my polar alignment using the RAPAS.
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How Much RAPAS Misalignment is Too Much ?
I have been getting a lot of what I suspect is field rotation in my guided images so I thought I would check my polar alignment using the RA Correction method as described in the manuals. I have a portable setup with an 1100 GTO mount that I set up and take down every night, and I set my polar alignment using the RAPAS.
At the end of the RA Correction process I checked the position of Polaris in the RAPAS and compared it to what the Polar Align App said it should be. The results are in the sketches below. I am assuming that if I am going to adjust the RAPAS, I will need to adjust the push pull screws in the plate at the base of the RA axis where the RAPAS attaches, but before I do this I wanted to make sure that this is not an irreversible process. I am worried that if I suddenly start adjusting the push-pull screws that I will do more harm than good. Is the RA Correction procedure reliable enough that I should trust these results ? I think that at a minimum I will repeat the alignment procedure before I start adjusting anything. The offset as seen seems in the sketches seems excessive, and I am also wondering what could cause the RAPAS alignment to get so far off, assuming that it was correct when I first got the mount. To my knowledge I have never dropped or damaged the RAPAS or the mount. Any comments or advice would be appreciated. Mike 
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Re: Computer not recognizing CP5 control box
#APCC
Mike Hanson
Hi Aaron,
When the CP5 joins a network, the Access Point will be turned off because the Wi-Fi hardware does not have enough resources to support full functionality on both the Access Point and Station interfaces simultaneously. That's why the Access Point closed. Generally, an Ethernet connection is used to configure Wi-Fi initially, so that the act of reconfiguring Wi-Fi doesn't cause disconnection on Wi-Fi. Since the Access Point is gone, it may mean that your CP5 is connected to the network you told it to join. Put you computer on the same network you told the CP5 to join, and use APCC's "auto-discovery" to find it. Suggest selecting UDP/LAN as the connection type, then click on the Magnifying Glass icon next to it to "auto-discover" it. If it is not found, please e-mail me privately. Regards, Mike Hanson
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Re: Saturn last night
Jeff B
Yes it is everybody's favorite, mine included! During public events at our observatories, I always save Saturn for last, not telling anyone what they will see next. I LOVE the reactions and exclamations of "It's not real!" That never, ever, gets old for me. Jeff
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Re: Unguided dumbbell stars insights
Roland Christen
You have periodic error in a non-encoder mount. That will manifest itself in a slow back and forth motion in RA. This error is normally a sinusoid which has two places where the star will sit relatively motionless and two places where it moves rapidly. Thus the dumbbell shape of the star. This cycle occurs every 6.4 minutes and the way to compensate for it is to run a PEMPro run, create a PE curve and download it into the mount's CP controller. Then you turn on the PEM playback via the keypad or via APCC. This will eliminate almost all of the cyclical motion that you are experiencing.
Since you moved the spur gear by hand you have invalidated the PE curve that may be in the controller now, so you need to create a new one.
Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: Bruce McMath <bruce.mcmath@...> To: main@ap-gto.groups.io Sent: Fri, Sep 24, 2021 9:51 am Subject: [ap-gto] Unguided dumbbell stars insights Looking for theories to explain occasional dumbbell star images in unguided exposures. I have a long standing variable star monitoring project run through DC3 Scheduler. Recently changed from a C11 to a Meade 12 ACF (in hopes of mitigating mirror flop), both running around F7.3 on an AP900. All images are unguided and some run over six minutes. Most images are reasonably tight given the length of exposures and lack of guiding or encoders. But, occasionally, I get backlash like dumbbell images in which there is a star image, a thin line, and another star image - always in RA. The worm is snug, I use the approach from the same direction option and the PEC training is the best I have ever had - verified by the tightness of most images. Yet, occasionally, I still get the dumbbell image.
I once concluded that there might be a tiny irregularity in the worm gear, having felt a tight spot once when testing the mesh by turning the large spur gear with the finger as described in the manual. However, since I have not been able to replicate that, despite driving all the way around the worm gear with the same method, I was left concluding the earlier experience was related to a foreign object - grain of pollen or dust. Yet, the other night I witnessed three dumbbell images in a row, which seems to belie the worm gear flaw as well as a foreign object theory, but not rule it out entirely as it is possible that all three just happen to place the worm at the or a critical point on the gear.
At this point, it is more curiosity than anything, as not likely I can do anything about it. But, perhaps others know exactly what this is.
-- James (Bruce) McMath -- Roland Christen Astro-Physics
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Re: Saturn last night
Roland Christen
Very nice. Pretty little planet indeed, everyone's favorite planet.
Rolando
-----Original Message-----
From: thefamily90 Phillips <thefamily90@...> To: ap-ug@groups.io <ap-ug@groups.io>; AP-GTO Groups. io <ap-gto@groups.io> Sent: Fri, Sep 24, 2021 9:35 am Subject: [ap-gto] Saturn last night -- Roland Christen Astro-Physics
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Re: [ap-ug] Saturn last night
Jeff B
Pretty cool Jim. How about sharing some of the capture and processing details. Jeff
On Fri, Sep 24, 2021 at 10:40 AM Pete Lardizabal <p14@...> wrote:
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Unguided dumbbell stars insights
Looking for theories to explain occasional dumbbell star images in unguided exposures. I have a long standing variable star monitoring project run through DC3 Scheduler. Recently changed from a C11 to a Meade 12 ACF (in hopes of mitigating mirror flop), both running around F7.3 on an AP900. All images are unguided and some run over six minutes. Most images are reasonably tight given the length of exposures and lack of guiding or encoders. But, occasionally, I get backlash like dumbbell images in which there is a star image, a thin line, and another star image - always in RA. The worm is snug, I use the approach from the same direction option and the PEC training is the best I have ever had - verified by the tightness of most images. Yet, occasionally, I still get the dumbbell image. Yet, the other night I witnessed three dumbbell images in a row, which seems to belie the worm gear flaw as well as a foreign object theory, but not rule it out entirely as it is possible that all three just happen to place the worm at the or a critical point on the gear. At this point, it is more curiosity than anything, as not likely I can do anything about it. But, perhaps others know exactly what this is.
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Re: [ap-ug] Saturn last night
Pete Lardizabal
Fabulous! 😎 Pete
On Sep 24, 2021, at 10:35 AM, thefamily90 Phillips <thefamily90@...> wrote:
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Saturn last night
thefamily90 Phillips
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Re: APPM different with V1.9.0.9?
Ok I just noticed it only appears with " Require high accuracy slews".There is a tighter tolerance on coordinates when this checkbox is selected. There is no difference between 1.9.0.7 and 1.9.0.11 behavior in this regard. In fact, the final RA/Dec coordinates are returned up to 2 seconds sooner in 1.9.0.11. However, if they are slightly out of the tolerance (0.2 arc-secs) then the Slew Warning lasts as long as it always has since 1.9 was released. You probably didn't notice this when it happened before. -Ray -----Original Message-----
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Re: APPM different with V1.9.0.9?
Ray Gralak
Rouz,
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
I don’t see any warnings in the log snippet you included. The SLEWUNSAFE commands are normal. A SLEWUNSAFE command is one that APCC should directly execute the slew without having to check for starting/ending counterweight position. -Ray
-----Original Message-----
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Re: AP Version 2 error: Run-time error 91
Ray Gralak
Tom,
The error is Run-time error 91. Object variable or With block variable not set.This indicates the driver had a problem creating an object it needs to use, most likely ASCOM utilities. If the error persists, try rebooting your computer. Maybe there was a disk error reading one of the ASCOM DLLs. -Ray -----Original Message-----
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Re: APCC Pro 1.9.0.11
Ray Gralak
Thanks for confirming, Roberto!
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
-Ray
-----Original Message-----
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